Flower Sampler Class

First day of the flower class was fun. It's pretty much always the same group of women who I never get to see except at these classes. We used to try to get together once a month to just bead, but that fell apart due to everyone's conflicting schedules. Funny, I always planned my schedule around those dates! (true sign of my addiction, I guess).

We all joked and called this flower the rare "turkey blossom".

This tulip was worked in clear beads using a color thread for the middle section. Not very photogenic. Working with the clear beads drives my eyes batty.

Here are the rest of the shapes for the board. Can't wait to see how they are beaded. I think I'll stick with pastel shades for all the flowers. I like the way it looks against the deep plum velvet.

I've been tagged

Thanks to Tracey, you are all subjected to learning a little bit more about Me.

1. I love loud live music. Anything from a Godsmack concert to a marching band. Particularly heavy drums.

2. I have two tattoos - one is a heart on my hip and the other is a bleeding heart stem on my inner wrist.

3. I have pretty bad eyesight and have worn glasses since the 3rd grade. I actually lied to the school nurse (considering I went to a Catholic grammar school, that was really bad) during my eye exam because I wanted to wear glasses like my dad. Now that my eyesight is as bad as it is, I figure it's God's way of punishing me!

4. I'm a big Buffalo Sabres (hockey) fan and have been for as long as I can remember. (I thought of this one because the game is on right now and we just scored!)

5. I LOVE little children, and would love to quit my job as a paralegal and work in a daycare center or a pre-school.

6. I collect rocks and fossils and have many small dishes, vials, etc. around my house filled with them. I get into the woods as often as possible - I love to hike. In fact, if anyone ever comes to Niagara Falls on vacation, please let me know - I'd love to be your tour guide for a day or two and show you how amazingly beautiful the Niagara Gorge is!

7. I am a reality show junkie. It's the only shows I watch. Project Runway, Ghosthunters, Anthony Bourdain, Survivor, Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, are a few off the top of my head that I can think of.

Ok, so now I understand I have to tag 7 others......so, I went back to see whose blogs I am following and I hope I'm not choosing someone who has already been tagged (I just started blogging not so long ago, and am still a bit green at this. Hopefully the links work).

So I hope the following amazing beaders will play along, because......"Tag! You're it!!"

Grace of http://gracebeading.blogspot.com/
Jackie of http://beaded-creations.blogspot.com/
Carol of http://beadsandbirds.blogspot.com/
Phyl of http://phylliskingartworks.blogspot.com/
Susan of http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/
Mowryn of http://anothercountry-morwyn.blogspot.com/
???? of http://bohemiabeads.blogspot.com/ - How crazy is this - I don't know your name!

Please post 7 little know facts about you and tag 7 others to join in the parade!

International Appeal

I just sold my first piece through Etsy. I'm shocked. With all the choices on that site, I never expected anyone to even find my work.

So my purple wallet will have a new home all the way in Australia. Pretty neat. Even neater when I realized the first piece I sold in the local gallery near my home was to a woman visting from Budapest. Too bad I couldn't hand deliver them.......

Black Bracelet

I love to make these bracelets. They make up relatively quickly and look so good on. I am scheduled to do an art/craft show on Saturday, so this will be one to add to my inventory. I won't be disappointed if it winds up coming home with me at the end of the day!

(For a better look-see; click on the photo to enlarge)

Forgotten Project . . .

I was going through a little tote bag I had in my studio (one of many), and I came across a whole bunch of beads that I had completely forgotten about. They belong to a 'sweetgrass doily' that never got finished. I dug out the doily and still am not crazy about it, which is the reason why it was never finished. I need to sew the fabric back on and sew a beaded fringe around the edge. It was a class I took probably 2 years ago, and the fringe is really neat, but truthfully, I have no idea what I would do with it after it's finished. So back to storage it goes.....

A special request completed

I was asked to make a checkbook cover for a friend and here it is.

I love the way it turned out.

The flower was done separately (like an applique) and then sewn on.

The flower edge is really cute, though it doesn't show in the photo. It actually sort of stands up away from the velvet (I guess I can't really describe it right!)

This back pocket holds a license or credit card, etc.

The two inside pockets hold the register and check supply.

Rope Border Variations

Here are some close up pictures of an Iroquois Raised Beadwork technique which makes a great border. A detailed explanation of the stitch can be found on my comment from the previous post.

Using 7 beads in a 5-bead space

First Row First Stitch: Bead 1 Yellow; Beads 2-6 White; Bead 7 Yellow.

First Row Second Stitch: Bead 1 Green; Beads 2-6 White; Bead 7 Green

Repeat this alternating pattern for the whole row.

On the second row, repeat the same sequence, making sure your starting and ending color beads match the colors from the first row.

For a Striped Effect

Using 9 beads (in a 7 bead space): First Row First Stitch: Beads 1 -3 Cream; Beads 4-6 Crimson; Beads 7-9 Cream.

Second Stitch: Beads 1-3 Crimson; Beads 4-6 Cream; Beads 7-9 Crimson

Alternate the above for the entire first row. Second row is done in the same sequence.

Using 9 beads in a 7-bead space

First Row - all 9 beads in the same color for every stitch

Second Row - bead 5 in contrasting color.

You can see how a single row of this rope stitch looks as shown on the top of this purse.

Using all one color for all beads in both rows, looks like this.

This is a horribly dull picture, but in person this is beautiful. The beads are gold lined smoky black and just fabulous!

Using this color pattern makes a border on the sides of the rope.

Using 7 beads in a 5-bead space

First Row: Beads 1-4 Cream; Beads 5-7 Silver lined pink.

Second Row: Same as First Row

The single row on the top of the flap was reversed - Beads 1-4 were the silver lined pink and Beads 5-7 were cream.

Newest Coin Purse

I love to make coin purses. Here's the latest one.

They are so durable and yet so pretty!

The patterned velvet is just beautiful (a gift from my friend Stephanie).

I didn't have a cabochon for the back so I took a chance and ordered a mixed bag from Fire Mountain Gems and luckily there was just the perfect one!

Most of the cabochons in the bunch were very small, and I don't really have any use for them, so if anyone out there could use small (I dare say tiny - like 3 mm) cabochons, just send me your name and address and I'll mail you some - I've got plenty to share.

Twigs Update!

I think I should have named Twigs "Patience". Poor little thing watches me work on everything but her. One thing I have learned--wait to add any fringe until the end! Notice only one of her ears is done. That itty-bitty fringe is a thread magnet! I swear every stitch I made my thread would get wrapped all in it somehow. Drove me crazy; but lesson learned!! Another thing I have learned is that I think I've used too many colors. She looks too busy to me.

I'm looking forward to getting back to her. In fact I have added a wooden dowel to my WalMart list, so I will tackle getting her neck stable and that will hopefully give me the incentive to work on her some more.

All Done

Finished up Jenna's wallet - cuter in person than it shows here. The edging really pulls it all together. It's a fun way to join two pieces together (though I do hand sew the lining first). If anyone wants the details, just contact me.